It’s strange to think that fly floatants have been in use for only about 100 years. Flies were dried by making multiple false casts. Like many anglers today I used Ghink for a long time before changing to Loon Aquel which I felt was a better floatant. When I ran out of Aquel I went back to Ghink which I decided worked better in that my flies treated with it seemed to float for longer. But I then made the discovery certainly of the season if not the decade. Fly-Rite’s Dilly Wax. The wonderfully-named Frog’s Fanny was a revelation when I first used it to dry and re-float wet CDC flies in particular and also as a floatant on dry flies. I still use it and would not want to be without it. It is a must-have product. Now we come to Dilly Wax. The way that this will float a fly is truly wondrous. I have used it on an Elk Hair Sedge which has stayed afloat for hours even after catching a fish or two. I wish that I had discovered it years ago. It is easy to apply to a fly as it melts on your fingers when squeezed from its tube. And you don’t need to use very much either. All fly floatants work better the less you use.Dilly Wax can also be used to dress a leader to make it float and as a clean and fine dubbing wax when tying flies. As a dubbing wax I am not sure if it is quite sticky enough. I need to use it more frequently before making a final judgment.For me the biggest disadvantage of Dilly Wax is that it is sold in a little plastic ointment tube with a separate screw cap. The cap will be easy to lose. It’s a shame that it is not supplied in a similar container as used for Ghink with a captive cap. Or even a similar ointment tube with a captive push-on cap. But Dilly Wax is so good that it easily over-comes this disadvantage.

Leave a Reply.

Author

Terry Lawton is a writer, author and a dedicated fly fisherman. He is secretary of the Bintry Mill Trout Fishery on the river Wensum in Norfolk, where, when not fishing, he can often be found up to his waist in the river.